Aaron and Emma Whittington, both 35 years old, had always dreamed of becoming parents. They were a loving couple who had been together since high school and had weathered the ups and downs of a long-term relationship. Aaron was a high school music teacher and a freelance video game soundtrack composer, while Emma worked in finance at a bank branch near their home. They were raised with Christian values and adapted to modern times, and they were determined to start a family.
After getting married at the age of 24, they decided to wait a few years before expanding their family, feeling they weren’t yet ready for parenthood. However, as time passed and they experienced life together, their fears and insecurities faded, and the dream of becoming parents grew stronger. They decided it was time to start a family.
Their wish came true, and they received the news that Emma was pregnant. The family doctor confirmed the pregnancy, and they eagerly awaited the arrival of their baby girl. Emma had an easy pregnancy, and Mia was born on August 4th, 2022. Holding their baby for the first time filled them with happiness and a sense of capability.
However, the first few months of Mia’s life were not without drama. Aaron and Emma became anxious and rushed Mia to the hospital for minor concerns. Most of these emergencies turned out to be typical worries of first-time parents who had read too many parenting books. They decided to relax and take things more in stride.
Despite their efforts to calm their fears, Mia developed a strange infection that required urgent hospitalization. Emma noticed a swelling on Mia’s jaw and was horrified to discover a lump under her baby’s jaw. They rushed her to the hospital, where doctors suspected a bacterial infection and administered antibiotics.
The swelling initially appeared to subside, but a week later, it worsened, and Mia’s grandmother took her back to the hospital. A pimple had formed in the inflamed area, and doctors suspected a staph infection in the lymph nodes. They decided to drain it and continued treatment. After two days of treatment, the inflammation seemed to be under control.
However, while examining Mia, the family noticed something unexpected. A thin black thread or stick had started protruding from the healing scab. They called a pediatrician who extracted a black feather approximately 5 cm long from Mia’s neck. It turned out that Mia had inhaled or swallowed a feather from a cushion they recently purchased.
